BEGINNING POLE VAULTING PROGRESSIONS AND FORMULAS

By Jan Johnson

Selecting
the proper starting grip is very important for learning the be- ginning drill
sequence. Choosing a grip that is too high will make it impossible to learn
the most efficient takeoff technique. Once the proper starting grip has been
established, don't hesitate to progress quickly to the optimum grip, by raising
hands in 2" or 3" increments, until the correct amount of pole speed
is obtained. For the purposes of learning the grass vaulting sequence outlined
below, start by gripping the pole only as high as you can grip with your top
hand when the pole plug is between your feet.

Overhead
carry tip taps. Walk and jog while carrying the pole overhead, tapping
the pole plug on the ground with each left-foot contact.
Tap the plug directly in from your takeoff foot so that your arms are
extended directly over- head.

Proper
carry and planting mechanics featuring high hands, low tip. Push pole
slightly for- ward and then up so that hands are under the pole on the
penultimate step. Push the pole straight up for an arms-extended position
prior to pole tip passing the front of the planting box.

Overhead
carry. Jump over pole plug with top hand extended over head at takeoff,
using a three-left- contact run.

Jump-Overs.
Gradually raise your grip so that the pole plug barely brushes the ground as
the pole rows through. Emphasize high hands at takeoff, jumping up at
takeoff, and staying right side up after takeoff.

Planting
from 3 lefts on grass with standing grip.*

Carry
pole parallel to ground.

Shift
hands with the contact of the second left step so that arms are extended up
over the head prior to takeoff.

Gradually
raise the grip so that the pole tip barely brushes the ground as the pole
rows under .

Emphasize
jumping up, with extended arms, and staying right side up.

Emphasize
not overdriving the right knee, and at the same time keeping the trail leg
down and back.

*Best
done in practice every day as part of warm up prior to vaulting.

PART
2. SHORT-RUN VAULTING WITH NO BEND IN THE POLE

Start by vaulting from a run of 3 lefts onto
the pads using a grip of standing grip plus two feet. Gradually raise the grip
so that optimum pole speed is achieved.
Learn the following drills and skills:

Stay-Downs: Stay right side up and land in the center of the pads in swing
position (sitting).

Swing to L: Keep straight trail leg and don't allow shoulders to roll back.
Land on the pads in seated L position.

Swing-Ups: Take off with high hands; swing straight trail leg up so that
entire body is in upside down position next to hand grip on the pole.

Swing and Shoot the Turn: This is an entire short-run vault with no bend in
the pole.

When technique is good from three lefts and the following
criteria have
been met then move to a five-left approach.
a. The vaulter (with no bend in the pole) can take off
directly below or slightly outside his or her top hand grip.
b. The vaulter is able to select an appropriate handhold
which allows him/her to land safely in the center of the landing pads with
hips contacting the pads 3-6 feet directly behind the back of the planting box-9
out of 10 times.
c. The vaulter can complete a successful full vault with
no bend in the pole, gripping the pole 3 feet above his/her standing grip.
d. The vaulter can swing a straight trail leg into the
shoot and turn.
e. The vaulter can turn over and finish 6 out of 10
jumps in the tummy to the bar position landing in the center of the landing
pad 3-6 feet behind the back of the box.

Use Chart A to add or subtract length to your
vaulter's approach, without having to run steps back. Keep in mind that by
adding approach distance (lefts) you are increasing speed, by subtracting
distance you are decreasing speed. This concept becomes very useful when trying
to adjust approach lengths to pole sizes and grip heights.
Moving to longer runs, stiffer poles, and higher
grips, and increasing the top hand grip for crossbar efficiency is what pole
vaulting is all about. Adjusting all these parameters is perhaps the truest
application of coaching.

VAULTERS HEIGHT

5'

5' 6"

6'

6' 3"

RIGHT-FOOTED START DISTANCE

30'

33'

35'

37'

LEFT FOOTED START DISTANCE

25'

28'

30'

32'

Chart
A: Standard 3 lefts starting distances from back of box

VAULTERS HEIGHT

5'

5' 6"

6'

6' 3"

1 LEFT

10'

11'

12'

12' 6"

2 LEFTS

20'

22'

24'

25'

Chart
B: Standard one-left distance adjustments based upon body height for vaulters of
average abilities

PART 3. SELECTING THE CORRECT BEGINNING POLE FOR BENDING

It is my suggestion that beginners, in order
to develop and perfect all the important mechanics of consistent approach run,
jumping up onto the pole, swinging and shooting the turn properly, should use
approach runs of 5 lefts with no bend in the pole for 8 or 10 practices or so.
These vaulters are usually ready to bend the pole when they are capable of vaulting consistently and safely from 5 lefts with no bend in the pole, using
a grip approximately 3 feet above standing grip, swinging a straight trail leg,
turning over and landing safely in the front/center of the landing pads
(approximately 5 to 10 feet behind the back of the box).

After
several sessions where safe and successful jumping is demonstrated, I
recommend they should begin the process of bending the pole. First, select a
pole that is approximately 2 feet longer than the athlete's non-bending grip,
and equal to, or slightly (5Ibs) greater than his/her body weight.
For example, if your athlete can grip the pole and
successfully vault from 5 lefts at 10'6" and he weighs 130 pounds, then the
proper starting pole would be a 12'6" 130 or 135, or perhaps a 12' 135 or
140. Please note, that in the preceding example I have adjusted the weight of
the pole up slightly for the shorter pole.
Since there is an interrelationship between pole
length and pole stiffness (basically 6 inches in pole length equals
approximately ten pounds in pole stiffness), both these suggested poles would be
acceptable. The suggested beginning pole will probably not begin to bend
immediately. However, after a few practices as the athlete becomes more aggressive
and more accomplished, the pole will gradually begin to bend and in doing so
will allow the athlete to grip higher. Please note that part of the process of
learning to bend the pole is a result of having the proper pole, as well as
having the proper technique.

PART 4. IN CREASING
RUN LENGTHS AND HAND HOLD HEIGHTS

As the athlete raises his grip the pole will begin to bend more,
and the importance of having a high and centered plant will become more and more
important. The importance of having a takeoff step directly below the top hand
position at takeoff will also become increasingly important.
During this phase of development it may become
obvious that the athlete can improve his potential by grip- ping the pole
higher and using a slightly longer run to generate more speed. This adjustment
is encouraged if the athlete is landing in a safe position on the pads
consistently and if the pole is not bending excessively. Under these
circumstances, I recommend that you use the "one-left adjustments"
outlined in Chart B. In general, the increased run length may be accompanied by
a 3-4" increase in grip.
In general, as a rule of thumb most high school
beginners should vault from a run of no more than six lefts. As they improve and
become more proficient in technique they should gradually lengthen their approach runs to 6, 7 and 8 lefts.
However no matter how long their approach
run gets they should still spend approximately 50% of their practice time
vaulting from short runs of 4 to 6 lefts.
As a general rule the pole size difference will be
approximately 20pounds, short run to long run. The handhold variation will be
approximately 9 inches. I base this upon the fact that the resistance to pole
bending will be approximately the same on a 20-pound larger pole with a one-
foot higher grip. However, the in- creased top hand radius mayor may not be
totally offset by the speed gain of a longer approach run.

Jan
Johnson, of the Sky Jumpers Vertical Sports Club, is the 1972 Olympic